Tanzania's Amsons Group launches Sh23.1b bid to acquire Bamburi cement

Business
By Brian Ngugi | Jul 11, 2024
Bamburi Cement trucks collect cement from a Silo storage facility in Industrial Area, Nairobi. [Stafford Ondego, Standard]

Tanzania's leading manufacturing and energy giant, Amsons Group, has issued a binding offer to acquire up to a 100 per cent stake in Kenya's Bamburi Cement PLC for a total sum of Sh23.1 billion.

Amsons, through its Kenyan subsidiary Amsons Industries (K) Ltd, has issued a notice of intention to launch a public takeover offer to acquire up to 100 per cent of Bamburi's shares at 65 Kenyan shillings per share.

"We have great plans to deepen our investment in Kenya and in Bamburi," said Amsons Group Managing Director Edha Nahdi in a statement issued on Wednesday evening.

"The proposed cross-border acquisition will further strengthen our position in the East African cement sector as part of our regional economic development and market integration strategy."

Amsons, a family-owned business founded in 2006, has diversified from its roots in bulk oil and petroleum products to become a manufacturing and energy conglomerate with over $1 billion in annual revenue. Its cement operations include a 6,000 metric tonnes/day facility and the recently acquired Mbeya Cement in Tanzania.

The acquisition of Bamburi would mark Amsons' formal entry into the Kenyan market, where the group plans to make further investments in the coming months, according to Nahdi.

Holcim, which currently owns a 65 per cent stake in Bamburi, said the deal "advances Holcim's strategy of extending our leadership in our core markets as the global leader in innovative and sustainable building solutions."

"With Amsons Group, we are pleased to have found a strategic and trusted partner best positioned to develop Bamburi Cement PLC's business in the long term," said Holcim's Regional Head of Asia, Middle East and Africa, Martin Kriegner in the statement.

The proposed $180 million acquisition would mark a significant milestone for Amsons as it seeks to invest in one of Kenya's iconic blue-chip companies listed on the Nairobi Securities Exchange (NSE).

Share this story
Africa's digital shift gains momentum as Huawei unveils new technologies in Nairobi
Africa’s digital transformation agenda gained momentum in Nairobi as Huawei unveiled new connectivity and energy technologies, with leaders calling for stronger collaboration.
Pay in bits, glow in full: New wallet lets Nairobians save for skincare
Nairobi beauty startup launches “Skincare Wallet” allowing users to save in small installments for skincare products, making premium beauty routines more affordable .
Risk that paid off: Ex-govt. engineer builds aquarium empire
Mwenda Mwimbi left a government engineering job to build Aquacentury, a custom aquarium business now growing into a niche brand despite market and supply challenges.
Poor pay, double taxation and falling incomes mask Kenya's growth
Workers in the agriculture, forestry and fishing sector, which contributes the lion’s share to the country’s GDP are struggling to afford the same food items they produce and process.  
Agro-based firms decline weighs on industrial growth
The slow growth recorded in agriculture in 2025 crept into the manufacturing sector, whose gross value added grew by two per cent in the period compared to three per cent in 2024. 
.
RECOMMENDED NEWS